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- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
So I was clicking around DIGG this evening and I came across a story about how shockingly real a Zombie Apocalypse could be. I'll post the snippets of the story, but you can read the full story here:
Five Scientific Reasons Why A Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen
5) Brain Parasites
Apparently there are parasites that can infect the brain and control animals such as rats to bring them to their death. This parasite, although unable to effect humans, actually exist in nearly 50% of all mankind... Over 3 BILLION of us. Scientists believe that a more evolved version of this parasite could certainly have a "zombie horde" effect on us, but the overall likelyhood of it happening is very low.
4) Neurotoxins
In case you were unaware, Zombies actually do exist. Cases have been discovered in Haiti (where the term originates from) in which neurotoxins have kept "dead" people's minds active, allowing them to function on a daily basis. The thing is, the cases are rare and isolated, and the neurotoxins required are pretty hefty. Not something easily transmittable.
3) The REAL Rage Virus
The argument presented here is centered on Mad Cow disease and how it can be transfered to humans through the digestion of infected meat, but that indeed is very rare. Given that in the article we humans are only one brain chemical away from a bat-crazy killing machine, the correct infection in our food supply could spell the end as we know it... Furthermore, making the transfer of the virus quite easy based on bite, blood or even saliva transfer alone.
2) Neurogenesis
Like so many advancements in science, there is a point in which it gets a bit scary. Stem Cell research is nearly there to some extent, allowing for the re-growth of brain tissue for folks with debilitating head trauma. Add in the fact that bodies can now be "preserved" for re-animation (a process already under research by the Disney Imagineers, ha ha), it gets even more scary. The overall argument is that you only really need the brain stem to survive (much like a chicken with its head cut-off), and if the case, the walking dead is a distinct possibility.
1) Nanobots
Probably the scariest and most-realistic of all things mentioned, Nanobots are coming. With the ability to (in theory) create and destroy anything, the hoards of the undead seem like a distinct possibility when it is a near certainty that nanobots may be used to aid our everyday lives. Although killing the host will certainly end the life of the nanobots, transfer of them would be easy as a bite or even a small wound.
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Even when I was reading it, I had to doubt it slightly. Then you actually think about it, and its more scary than you anticipate.
Discuss!
Five Scientific Reasons Why A Zombie Apocalypse Could Actually Happen
5) Brain Parasites
Apparently there are parasites that can infect the brain and control animals such as rats to bring them to their death. This parasite, although unable to effect humans, actually exist in nearly 50% of all mankind... Over 3 BILLION of us. Scientists believe that a more evolved version of this parasite could certainly have a "zombie horde" effect on us, but the overall likelyhood of it happening is very low.
4) Neurotoxins
In case you were unaware, Zombies actually do exist. Cases have been discovered in Haiti (where the term originates from) in which neurotoxins have kept "dead" people's minds active, allowing them to function on a daily basis. The thing is, the cases are rare and isolated, and the neurotoxins required are pretty hefty. Not something easily transmittable.
3) The REAL Rage Virus
The argument presented here is centered on Mad Cow disease and how it can be transfered to humans through the digestion of infected meat, but that indeed is very rare. Given that in the article we humans are only one brain chemical away from a bat-crazy killing machine, the correct infection in our food supply could spell the end as we know it... Furthermore, making the transfer of the virus quite easy based on bite, blood or even saliva transfer alone.
2) Neurogenesis
Like so many advancements in science, there is a point in which it gets a bit scary. Stem Cell research is nearly there to some extent, allowing for the re-growth of brain tissue for folks with debilitating head trauma. Add in the fact that bodies can now be "preserved" for re-animation (a process already under research by the Disney Imagineers, ha ha), it gets even more scary. The overall argument is that you only really need the brain stem to survive (much like a chicken with its head cut-off), and if the case, the walking dead is a distinct possibility.
1) Nanobots
Probably the scariest and most-realistic of all things mentioned, Nanobots are coming. With the ability to (in theory) create and destroy anything, the hoards of the undead seem like a distinct possibility when it is a near certainty that nanobots may be used to aid our everyday lives. Although killing the host will certainly end the life of the nanobots, transfer of them would be easy as a bite or even a small wound.
====
Even when I was reading it, I had to doubt it slightly. Then you actually think about it, and its more scary than you anticipate.
Discuss!
Thanks YSSMAN. 
Guns everywhere!
